[size=14pt]EFCC raids Halliburton office in Lagos[/size]
By Ifedayo Adebayo and Olugbenro Adeoye
November 26, 2010 02:13AM

Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission Thursday afternoon conducted a raid on the Lagos office of Halliburton, Technip and Snamprogetti and officials (mostly expatriates) were arrested.

During the raid which was backed by a contingent of armed policemen, officials of the companies said EFCC officials ransacked their offices and pushed the staff around before taking away documents and some officials of the company.

Speaking to our reporter, Femi Babafemi, the commissions’ spokesperson, said the raid was the result of new discoveries and the latest development in its investigation of the American oil services firm’s alleged corrupt practices.

“I don’t have the details yet, but I know that three MD’s of Technip and Halliburton, three of them were arrested,” Mr Babafemi said.

Halliburton has been sanctioned in the UN for its role in a multi-billion dollar scandal involving the Nigerian Liquified Gas industry. As NEXT reported in past editions, at least three former presidents, Sani Abacha, Abdusalami Abubakar and Olusegun Obasanjo were implicated as recipients of bribes from American and European contractors retained to build Africa’s first liquefied natural gas plant in Bonny, Rivers State by US law enforcement officials.

Yesterday’s raid, according to Mr. Babafemi, is related to the ongoing case.

“It is the same Halliburton case. We just go back into the case based on fresh information that we have,” he said.

Eye witnesses of the EFCC action said the anti-graft officials, who arrived at the company’s premises around 10 am, blocked both ends of the Younis Bashorun Street where the company is located.

The officials, who numbered be eight, came in two vehicles containing EFCC officials and police officers.

Like a robbery

They were, however, criticised for the manner of operation, which was likened to an “armed-robbery attack in broad daylight.” An early text message to NEXT warned of a robbery attack on the company’s premises.

A trader, who identified himself as Musa, said: “E be like say we dey watch film; we just dey hear noise and we see them as dem dey beat some of the workers, and later dem dey push dem inside motor by force.”

A company staff also alleged that anti-graft officials physically assaulted them.

One of the company’s security officers on duty, who pleaded anonymity, said: “They were wearing red jackets, but they did not introduce themselves to us. When they came, they ordered all of the security men to enter inside and they said we should drop our phones. One of us was beaten mercilessly for asking them questions. Another one, they said he wasted their time by not giving them his phone on time. That was his crime. They beat him seriously.” A senior official of the company, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, described the experience as “unfortunate.” “There is nothing wrong in making an arrest, but it must be done properly,” he said, while narrating his experience. “They only came in to harass and assault us; they were beating people up, including the women. The arrests were made randomly, because they did not bother to ask for any names,

apart from the Managing Director, who was not in. It was like a robbery operation; some of the staff who did not know initially that they were EFCC officials hid themselves in the toilet for over an hour. We all thought they were a bunch of militants. There was a lot of confusion in the place. They were wielding their guns and everyone was afraid; it was so disgusting.”a

http://234next.com/csp/cms/sites/Next/News/Metro/Crime/5646736-146/efcc_raids_halliburton_office_in_lagos.csp

One of the company’s security officers on duty, who pleaded anonymity, said: “They were wearing red jackets, but they did not introduce themselves to us. When they came, they ordered all of the security men to enter inside and they said we should drop our phones. One of us was beaten mercilessly for asking them questions. Another one, they said he wasted their time by not giving them his phone on time. That was his crime. They beat him seriously.” A senior official of the company, who also spoke on condition of anonymity, described the experience as “unfortunate.” “There is nothing wrong in making an arrest, but it must be done properly,” he said, while narrating his experience. “They only came in to harass and assault us; they were beating people up, including the women. The arrests were made randomly, because they did not bother to ask for any names,

apart from the Managing Director, who was not in. It was like a robbery operation; some of the staff who did not know initially that they were EFCC officials hid themselves in the toilet for over an hour. We all thought they were a bunch of militants. There was a lot of confusion in the place. They were wielding their guns and everyone was afraid; it was so disgusting.”

Damn. It was like a drugs burst!

Shameful. This is how GEJ fights crime - Nigerian authority has been reduced to militants. And some want us to believe that just after the elections - the President will become a born-again/transformed person.

Useless EFCC.
What are they raiding?
When the chief culprits are working around with "I dey laugh" slogans?

^^^ lmao dont mind the idiots deceiving themselves, dem never born dem to arrests their grandpa (i dey laugh) whose a.s.s dem oga (GEJ) self dey lick

@ poster you can see that this topic is bland because you've left IBB and Atiku out of it. Add them please.

Boboribo:

@ poster you can see that this topic is bland because you've left IBB and Atiku out of it. Add them please.

Really? What do you have to say about those scoundrels? If you saying EFCC would be doing the country a favour by locking those fckers up, then dude, we are in agreement.

Excluding Obj I suppose, you man's Chief Campaigner. I laugh with you.

Boboribo:

Excluding Obj I suppose, you man's Chief Campaigner. I laugh with you.

I really pity you Obj worshippers. The man is a reluctant god to you people, I guess you pray to him at night?
Obj this, Obj that!
Those that are close to Obj will do well to advice him on the feasibility of opening a shrine for sad sod's like yourself to come and do daily obeisance on bended knee!
Me? I go de gate, de collect una gate fee, tithes and offerings! Serious miliki!

Answer the simple question. Should obj be arrested along with IBB and Atiku? Yes or No.

O yes. Just as you worship IBB. IBB this and IBB that.

What the heck? Why?